Klingon Empire
The Klingon Empire is one of the major factions in the science fiction franchise, Star Trek. It is the official state of the Klingons, a warrior race hailing from the planet Qo'nos (Kronos). The empire was originally founded by Kahless the Unforgettable, a figure revered amongst the Klingon people with messianic fervor. History For a complete record of Klingon history, click here. The First Klingon Empire was founded in the 9th century by a warrior known as Kahless the Unforgettable. Before Kahless, the Klingon people were ruled by the tyrant Molor, a Klingon so mighty that none dared to oppose him. However, Kahless, a commoner, emerged as a champion of the people, and stood against Molor's troops at Qam-Chee. Here, Kahless and the Lady Lukara fought a pitched battle in the city's Great Hall while the rest of the city's garrison fled before the five hundred soldiers. Shortly after their victory, the two began what became known as the greatest romance in Klingon history. Kahless eventually slew Molor in single combat at the River Skral using the first bat'leth, the Sword of Kahless – an event that centuries later was still celebrated in the Empire through the Kot'baval Festival. Despite his low birth, Kahless ruled, together with his new wife, as Emperor of Qo'noS, establishing the First Empire. He would also conquer the Fek'Ihri and come into conflict with his brother, Morath. Kahless proved to be not only a powerful warrior, but also a wise ruler, establishing a code of honour that was to become the template for Klingon society for centuries to come. Kahless was also a philosopher and his words were frequently invoked by warriors about to enter battle. Among his sayings were "A leader is judged not by the length of his reign, but by the decisions he makes." Kahless' legends were recorded in a series of scrolls called the paq'batlh. Kahless' greatest legacies included not only the creation of the Klingon Empire, but also establishing the position of Emperor, thereby founding a dynastic monarchy that endured almost uninterrupted for 1,100 years. Noted emperors included Sompek, remembered for his conquest of Tong Vey, when ten thousand of his warriors laid siege to the city. When Sompek captured Tong Vey, he ordered the entire population massacred, and the city burned to the ground. Emperor Mur'Eq, on the other hand, was known for introducing the use of blunted bat'leth''s for practice, in order to make sure "his warriors kill their enemies and not each other". In the 14th century, the Klingon homeworld was sacked by a powerful race from the Gamma Quadrant they called ''Hur'q (Klingonese for "outsider"). Although they did not stay long, the Hur'q did not leave before looting many valuable cultural treasures, including the revered Sword of Kahless. In 2016, a Vulcan ship crossed into Klingon space near H'atoria, prompting the Klingons to destroy it immediately. Not wanting to make the same mistake twice, the Vulcans henceforth fired first whenever they crossed paths with Klingons until formal diplomatic relations were established. In the mid-21st century, the imperial monarchy, which claimed to trace its origins to the legendary warrior Kahless, came to an end when the last Emperor died and the leadership of the Empire fell to the Chancellor of the Klingon High Council. Because of a Human-caused medical crisis and later territorial conflicts, United Earth and subsequently the United Federation of Planets became the Empire's main adversary in the 22nd and 23rd centuries, during which cold as well as hot wars were fought. While the Empire was in disarray as of the first half of the 23rd century, the conflict with the Federation helped to unify the disparate Klingon Houses and stabilized the rule of the Chancellor. After the Praxis disaster of 2293, Chancellor Gorkon pursued peace with the Federation, resulting in the Khitomer Accords and ultimately paving the way for the Treaty of Alliance between both powers. Klingon-Federation cooperation persisted despite interference by the Romulan Star Empire and a Klingon Civil War from 2367 to 2368. In the 2370s, the Dominion, a hegemonic empire from the Gamma Quadrant managed to sow dissent among Alpha and Beta Quadrant powers, resulting in yet another brief Federation-Klingon war. Eventually, both powers joined forces and, after a costly war, together defeated the Dominion in 2375. Government Officially, the Klingon Empire was a feudal monarchy, with power residing in the Emperor, who was traditionally a descendant of Kahless. However, de facto power lay with the Klingon High Council. The position of emperor was abandoned (but not officially abolished) in the mid-21st century, but was revived in 2369 when a group of clerics created a clone of Kahless, who was accepted as the new Emperor, albeit only as a religious figurehead. The Chancellor, the de facto leader of the Empire, was head of the High Council, which consisted of twenty-four members representing various Great Houses (tuqmey, essentially, the nobility). The Chancellor was protected at all times by the Yan-Isleth (Brotherhood of the Sword). Women were not normally permitted to hold seats on the High Council. Despite that, Gowron once offered Ambassador K'Ehleyr a seat on the Council in exchange for her support of his bid to be Chancellor. Also, Azetbur, the daughter of Chancellor Gorkon, was permitted to succeed him as Chancellor in 2293. Various factions almost constantly challenged the leadership of the Empire, and so over time the Klingons developed a strict and rigorous Rite of Succession to determine their leader. According to tradition, one was permitted to challenge the leader on the grounds of cowardice or dishonorable conduct and fight in single combat. Should the challenger slay the incumbent, he assumed the role of the new leader. Because of the Klingon propensity for violence, shrewd Klingon chancellors redirected hostilities outward, where they would otherwise cause a civil war. In the 2150s, the Klingon chancellor instructed Duras to recapture Jonathan Archer after the latter escaped imprisonment on Rura Penthe. In this way, the chancellor focused the blame for certain internal problems on an external cause. Likewise, Gowron focused his soldiers' energies on invading first the Cardassian Union and later the Federation in order to avoid internal conflicts at home. Aside from challenges to the primary leadership of the Empire, there was also frequent feuding between the various Great Houses. Most often, the challenge was made on the floor of the High Council and resolved on the battlefield. However, on occasion, some "dishonorable" House leaders chose to make more insidious attacks by undermining the standing of their enemies. Society Klingon society was extremely complex. Before its decline in the mid-22nd century and again in the late 23rd century, Klingon society was based on a feudal system organized around traditional Great Houses of noble lineage, to which various parts of the population owed fealty. The Great Houses are traditionally represented in the Klingon High Council, which was led by a Chancellor, replacing the heredity leader of Emperor. The decline of Klingon culture was demonstrated in the acts of the Klingons themselves. They stopped caring about their weapons to the point that they let them rust and even stopped caring for true honour. Sometime after the augment virus took hold of the Klingon Empire, a new regime took control, turning the Empire into an authoritarian state that kept tabs on all who served. The old ways returned in the latter 23rd and early 24th centuries respectively. Males traditionally dominated public life in the Empire, assuming the leading roles in politics and the military with only rare exceptions. There were three notable exceptions to the prohibition of women serving on the High Council. In 2257 L'Rell rose to High Chancellor and Dennas served on the High Council. The third instance occurred in 2293 when Azetbur became Chancellor of the High Council after her father, Gorkon, was assassinated. Women traditionally dominated the household and the management of the family's affairs. Klingon women were treated as equals, except in politics and matters of inheritance. Law prohibited them from serving in the High Council and they could not take control of their Houses unless they had the money and no male successors of the lineage. Otherwise, Klingon women were expected to exhibit the same physical prowess and lust for blood and honour as the men. Klingon society functioned through a system of family reputation and honour. Tradition was an integral part of their lives and breaking from observances was considered a grievous insult to society, an insult not forgotten easily. An offense usually brought shame to the offender's name for several generations. The highest shame was discommendation, an action by the High Council to officially strip a Klingon of his personal or family honour. Bloodlines and relations were also taken very seriously by any "true" Klingon. Lines comprised more than mere family members. The military was integral to Klingon society, as it provides opportunities for warriors to die in battle. For the same purpose, the Empire often seeks to expand through conquest. Discipline was strictly enforced, by one's superiors and subordinates both; the latter may assassinate his superior and take his place. This gives Humans the false impression that there are no rules, but in fact, this can be done only under certain conditions, dereliction of duty and cowardice among them, and the challenge can be made only to a direct superior. An integral part of tradition was the various rituals that marked milestones in a Klingon's life or the history of the Empire. Most notable of the rites was the Rite of Succession, which a future leader of the Empire had to complete with a valid Arbiter of Succession overseeing the proceedings. Before the Rite could begin, there was another elaborate ceremony needed to confirm the death of the previous leader. This was known as the Sonchi ceremony. Individual Klingon warriors were expected to go through the Rite of Ascension to be recognized as a full adult. If the house that an individual Klingon belonged to was dissolved or fell into dishonour, he could be adopted into another house through the R'uustai or alternative ceremonies that symbolically marked the joining of kinship and allegiance. The Right of Vengeance allowed Klingons to seek redress for the deaths of their family members by engaging the one responsible in single combat. The right was so important, that even the discommended could claim it against important political figures, as the discommended Worf was able to challenge Duras. Territories For a complete list of Klingon territories, click here. Ship Classes For a list of known Klingon ships, click here.Category:Star Trek Category:Governments Category:Military Category:Empires Category:Klingon Empire